Ocean bottom seismic sensor cable system including torque-relieving swivel

ABSTRACT

An ocean bottom cable system includes: a cable adapted to be extended from a vessel at the surface of a body of water to the bottom of a body of water. The cable includes at least one electrical conductor or at least one optical fiber. A plurality of sensor units is disposed at spaced apart locations along the cable; and at least one swivel is disposed in the cable between the vessel and at least one of the sensor units. The swivel is adapted to enable relative rotation thereby relieving torsional stress between ends of the cable coupled thereto, and is adapted to transmit axial force along the cable therethrough.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to the field of ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic survey systems. More specifically, the invention is related to devices for improving the efficiency of deployment and retrieval of OBCs, and for reducing damage to OBCs during deployment and retrieval.

2. Background Art

Seismic surveying performed in bodies of water (marine seismic surveying), such as lakes or the ocean, includes surveying performed with ocean bottom cables.

An ocean bottom cable (OBC) normally includes one or more electrical and/or optical conductors extending along the length of the cable and sensors, or sensor “units”, coupled with or disposed along the cable at spaced apart locations. The sensor units typically include one or more particle motion sensors, such as geophones or accelerometers, and at least one sensor responsive to pressure (or a sensor responsive to rate of change of pressure). Electrical and/or optical conductors in the cable conduct signals from the various sensors to a recording device typically coupled to one end of the cable.

OBCs are typically deployed by unspooling the cable from a winch drum or reel located on a deployment vessel (called a “cable handling vessel”), allowing the cable to reach the bottom of the body of water. The cable handling vessel moves in a direction along which it is intended to position the OBC on the water bottom for a seismic survey. When the OBC is unspooled to an extent such that the sensor unit closest to the cable handling vessel reaches the water bottom, the cable handling vessel is typically stopped, but unspooling of the OBC continues until the portion of the cable extending from the cable handling vessel to the bottom of the body of water is substantially vertical. The portion of the cable extending from the recording system to the first sensor unit is normally referred to as the “lead in”. After unspooling is completed, a buoy or similar device may be attached to the water surface end of the OBC, such that a recording system may be coupled to the OBC for subsequent seismic data acquisition and recording. The recording system may, alternatively, be located on the cable handling vessel such that buoy connection is not required.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that as the “lead in” is created from the water bottom to the water surface by continued unspooling, tension that was applied to the OBC during deployment will be relieved, particularly at the end of the lead in near the water bottom. After completion of deployment, tension will be distributed along the lead in portion of the OBC in relation to the height above the water bottom of any part of the lead in.

OBCs made for relatively shallow water may include a centrally disposed electrical conductor surrounded by a layer of insulation. The insulation may then be surrounded by an electrically conductive metal braid, which in combination with the central conductor serves as a coaxial cable. The exterior of the OBC is typically surrounded by a plastic jacket to exclude water and to provide electrical insulation. In such shallow water OBCs, there may be one or more reinforcement layers within the cable to provide axial strength to the OBC. Typically, in such OBCs the reinforcement layer is in the form of a woven fiber braid. Such shallow water OBCs, having only braided reinforcement devices, are substantially free of induced torque when tension on the cable is changed. Deployment of such OBCs is not typically associated with any difficulties relating to torque along the cable caused by tension. However, there is a tendency of such shallower depth OBCs to assume the shape of the winch or reel on which the OBC is wound under tension. As tension is relieved during deployment, the OBC may form loops where the OBC tries to return to its shape under tension. Such loops may not be relieved or unwound as the OBC is retrieved from the water bottom. In such cases, the loops may cause the OBC to kink when tension is reapplied as the OBC is retrieved from the water bottom. Kinking may damage the cable, thus necessitating expensive repair or replacement of the cable.

As OBCs are made to be used in deeper bodies of water, it has proven necessary to use cable structures that have various forms of wound wire armor, in order that the cable will have sufficient axial strength to support its own weight when suspended in the body of water. For example, in a typical OBC used for water depths of 3,000 meters, the cable may include three, concentrically placed, helically wound layers of armor wires surrounding the center conductor and shield layer. When helically wound armor wires are subjected to axial stress, they impart a torque to the cable as they tend to unwind. While typical armored electrical cables include a plurality of contrahelically-wound layers of armor wires (meaning that successive layers are wound with opposing helical lay direction), it is impracticable to create a completely torque balanced, wound wire armored cable. Torque balanced in this context means that there is substantially no torque along the cable within a specific range of cable loads. In the foregoing example of a deeper water OBC, as the lead in is created, substantially all of the axial stress is relieved at the water bottom position of the lead in. Such stress relief generates substantial torque along the cable near the water bottom. Frequently, such torque will result in cable loops being formed. While such loops are by themselves not harmful, they can cause the cable to kink when the cable is retrieved from the water bottom.

In multiple-cable OBC surveys, a plurality of OBCs are typically deployed on the water bottom substantially parallel to each other along a selected direction. Each OBC in the multiple-cable survey includes a lead in made substantially as described above for a single cable OBC survey. In a multiple cable OBC survey, however, the lead in for each of the cables is typically terminated at a common location at the water surface. During a multiple cable survey, a recording vessel is connected to the water surface ends of all the OBCs. During the survey, a laterally endmost one of the OBCs is disconnected from the surface location, and the recording vessel is moved laterally while still connected to several of the remaining OBCs. The disconnected OBC is retrieved by the deployment vessel and may be moved to a location along the opposed lateral end of the “spread” of OBCs on the water bottom. Lateral movement of the recording vessel imparts lateral tension along the connected OBCs and causes the cable to ‘roll’ along the water bottom. Such lateral movement is another source of torque which may result in loops in the OBCs. Just as in the case of the single OBC survey operation, when an OBC having loops therein is retrieved, the rapid application of axial stress may result in kinks in the cable as the torque along the loop cannot be quickly relieved.

It is desirable to have a system for OBC surveying which reduces the possibility of looping and consequent kinking in the cable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

One aspect of the invention is an ocean bottom cable system. A system according to this aspect of the invention includes a cable adapted to be extended from a vessel at the surface of a body of water to the bottom of a body of water. The cable includes at least one electrical conductor or at least one optical fiber. A plurality of sensor units is disposed at spaced apart locations along the cable; and at least one swivel is disposed in the cable between the vessel and at least one of the sensor units. The swivel is adapted to enable relative rotation between ends of the cable coupled thereto, and is adapted to transmit axial force along the cable therethrough. The swivel is also adapted to maintain electrical or optical contact between the at least one electrical conductor or the optical fiber in ends of the cable connected to the swivel.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a typically cable handling vessel deploying an ocean bottom cable (OBC) and system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of a sensor section of the OBC system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a swivel of the OBC system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows an oblique view of the swivel shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a segment of OBC including a swivel as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows an end view of cable that may be used with a system as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of an ocean bottom cable (OBC) system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1 as it would be deployed in a body of water 10. A cable handling vessel 12, which may in some embodiments include seismic data recording equipment 15 of any type known in the art, moves in a selected direction along the surface 11 of the water 10. A winch, reel or similar spooling device, shown generally at 14 is disposed on the cable handling vessel 12 such that an OBC 18 can be deployed from the cable handling vessel 12, typically from its aft end. The winch 14 can be any type known in the art for deployment of marine seismic sensor cables, has a selected length of OBC 18 spooled thereon. The winch 14 extends the OBC 18 into the water 10 as the cable handling vessel 12 moves along the selected direction. The rate of unspooling and the speed of the cable handling vessel 12 are selected such that the OBC 18 eventually rests on the water bottom 16 in a substantially straight line along the direction of motion of the cable handling vessel 12.

The OBC 18 in the present embodiment includes a plurality of selected length cable segments 20A, which may be formed from armored coaxial cable, as will be further explained with reference to FIG. 6. Each end of each cable segment 20A is preferably terminated in an electrical connector (explained below with reference to FIG. 2) which can couple to either axial end of a swivel 22, a sensor unit 24 or a swivel cable section 22A (shown in more detail in FIG. 5). The OBC 18 can include at its distal end a weight 26 to urge the OBC 18 to rest on the water bottom 16 during deployment. A cable segment 20A will typically be 25 to 50 meters in length. The lead in portion 20 of the OBC, extending from the sensor unit closest to the vessel 12 to the recording equipment 15 may typically comprise cable sections that are longer, such as 900 meters in length, but otherwise may be similar in structure to the cable segments 20A.

As the vessel 12 moves, and the OBC 18 is extended from the winch 14, the OBC 18 comes to rest on the water bottom 16. After the last sensor unit 24 is deployed so as to be proximate or on the water bottom 16, the vessel 12 stops moving. The winch 14 continues to extend the lead in cable 20 such that it is substantially vertical from the water bottom 16 to the vessel 12. In some embodiments, the vessel end of the lead in cable 20 can be coupled to a buoy (not shown) or other flotation device such that a recording vessel (not shown) may electrically couple to the lead in cable 20 at the water surface for power and data communication to the various sensor units 24 along the OBC 18. In the present embodiment, the recording system 15 is on the deployment vessel 12 and thus no such buoy (not shown) is used. The surface termination and connection of the OBC used in any embodiment is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes only one OBC 18, primarily for clarity of illustrating the principle of the invention. It is to be clearly understood, however, that the arrangement of the OBC 18 in FIG. 1 is only an example of OBC systems within the scope of the present invention, and that the number of OBCs used in any implementation is not a limit on the scope of the invention. Moreover, the arrangement of sensor units 24 and swivels 22 in FIG. 1 is only an example of such arrangements, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. For purposes of defining the scope of the invention, it is only necessary to have one such swivel 22, preferably included within a swivel cable section 22A in a position along the OBC 18 most susceptible to looping as tension (and resulting torque) on the OBC 18 changes.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a typical sensor unit 24 and electrical connectors 27 used to terminate the ends of the cable segments (20A in FIG. 1). Each connector 27 includes a pressure resistant housing 27E adapted to exclude fluid under pressure from entering an interior space thereof, and adapted to transfer axial stress or tension from the cable segment (20A in FIG. 1) to the housing 27E, and then transfer the axial stress or tension to a mating housing 24B of the sensor unit 24 to which the connector 27 is coupled. The interior of the connector housing 27E includes a centrally disposed electrical contact 27C coupled to a central electrical conductor (see FIG. 6) in the cable segment (20A in FIG. 1). The central contact 27C couples to a corresponding contact 24A in the sensor unit 24. A laterally displaced, outer electrical contact 27D electrically connects a shield (see FIG. 6) in a cable segment 20A to a corresponding outer contact 24F in the sensor unit 24. The electrical conductor arrangement in the cable segment and connector 27 are only one example of connections than may be made between cable segments and a sensor unit. Other embodiments may include three or more electrical conductors in cable segments and a corresponding number of electrical contacts in the connector 27. Still other embodiments may include one or more optical fibers in addition to or in substitution of the electrical conductors in the cable, and appropriate optical couplings may be included in such embodiments of the connector 27. Accordingly, the electrical and/or optical configuration of the connector 27 is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The connector 27 includes an external sealing surface 27AA for engagement to a corresponding, sealing interior surface 27G of the sensor unit housing 24B. Sealing to exclude fluid entry can be effected by an o-ring 27A or similar sealing element. A threaded coupling 27B on the connector 27 engages a corresponding coupling 27C on the interior surface of the sensor unit housing 24B to effect the coupling of the connector 27 and the housing 24B, and to effect transfer of axial stress therebetween.

When a connector 27 configured as shown in FIG. 2 is engaged to each axial end of the sensor unit housing 24B, electrical contact is made between circuits 24D disposed inside the sensor unit housing 24 and the electrical conductors (see FIG. 6) in the cable segment (20A in FIG. 1), and axial stress is transmitted from the cable segment (20A in FIG. 1) through the sensor unit housing 24B. As importantly, fluid is excluded from entering the sensor unit housing 24B by the sealing engagement of the connectors 27 to the sensor unit housing 24B.

The circuits 24D disposed in the sensor unit housing 24B can include conventional seismic sensors such as particle motion sensors (shown as geophones 24E) coupled to suitable signal amplification, processing, and telemetering circuitry (shown collectively, but not individually at 24D) for communicating signals from the sensors 24E to the recording system (such as 15 in FIG. 1). The sensors 24E may also include one or more hydrophones (not shown separately) or other sensor responsive to pressure and/or rate of change in pressure. Although the present embodiment includes geophones, as is known in the art, any other type of sensor responsive to motion, such as accelerometers, may be used in other implementations of a sensor unit.

It should also be understood that the embodiment of sensor unit as shown in FIG. 2, which is intended to be coupled between cable segments, is only one implementation of a system according to the invention. The implementation as shown in FIG. 2 is particularly suited to OBCs used in deeper water depths, e.g., up to about 3,000 meters depth. Implementation intended for shallower depth water may include sensor units coupled to the exterior of the cable segments, and the cable segments 20A would connect directly to each other by connection means known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

In the present embodiment, the cable segments (20A in FIG. 1) can be about 25 meters or 50 meters in length, thus the sensor units 24 are typically separated by about 25 meters or 50 meters.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of one of a swivel 22. The swivel 22 includes a first connector housing 30 sealingly, rotatably engaged to a second connector housing 31. Sealing engagement in the present embodiment can be effected by o-rings 33 or similar sealing devices disposed on a seal extension 33A forming part of the second connector housing 31. The seal extension 33A fits inside a corresponding receptacle in the first connector housing 30. Each of the connector housings 30, 31 has disposed centrally therein an electrical connector 34 adapted to mate electrically and mechanically with the contact (27C in FIG. 2) in one of the cable segment connectors (27 in FIG. 2). The seal extension 33A is rotatably supported inside a receptacle in the first housing 30 by bearings 32. Rotatable electrical contact can be obtained by a slip ring 35 or similar device. Interior surfaces of the axial outer ends of the housings 30, 31 are adapted to threadedly receive the threaded couplings (27B in FIG. 2) on a connector, such as connector 27, shown in FIG. 2. In combination, the first housing 30, second housing 31, and connectors 27 define an apparatus that maintains electrical continuity between two connectors 27 coupled to each end of the swivel 22, that maintains electrical insulation between conductors within each connector 27, and enables relative rotation between the connectors 27 coupled to each end of the swivel 22.

An oblique view of the swivel 22 having protective caps 36 on each end for shipment is shown in FIG. 4. Preferably the exterior shape of the first housing 30 and second housing 31 is cylindrical to reduce the chance of rotational sticking during use of the swivel.

In particular implementations of a swivel, the interior chamber of the swivel may be filled with dielectric liquid (not shown), such as oil. In some embodiments of a swivel, the dielectric liquid may be subjected to external hydrostatic pressure such as by means of a pressure compensating device (not shown), such as a piston or bladder of any type well known in the art, for such pressure compensation.

While the swivel 22 shown in FIG. 3 includes only one electrical conductor in the slip ring 35, multiple conductor slip rings are known in the art and may be used in other embodiments of an OBC system in which there is more than one insulated electrical conductor forming part of the cable thereof. It is also know in the art to provide optical slip rings, to obtain a continuous, rotatable optical connection between two optical fibers. Other implementations of the swivel 22 may include one or more optical slip ring channels. As used in the context of this invention, therefore, the term “swivel” is intended to mean any device that maintains an electrical and/or optical contact between two members, while enabling relative rotation between the two members.

In a preferred embodiment of an OBC system according to the invention, one or more of the cable segments, such as shown at 20A in FIG. 1, may be substituted by a swivel cable section 22A, such as shown in FIG. 5. A swivel cable section 22A may include two, shorter cable segments 20AA, with each end of each segment being terminated with a connector 27, such as explained above with reference to FIG. 2. One connector 27 from each cable segment 20AA is coupled to a swivel 22, such as explained above with reference to FIG. 3. The other end of each of the shorter cable segments 20AA is coupled to a sensor unit 24. A swivel 22 may also be coupled between two cable segments 22A in lieu of a sensor unit 24, however, such placement of a swivel 22 would alter the regularity of the spacing of the sensor units 24. Typically, a swivel 22 will be coupled directly between segments of the lead in portion of the cable, because no sensor units are used in the lead in portion of the OBC.

A typical cable that may be used in various embodiments of a system according to the invention, such as for the lead in cable (20 in FIG. 1), cable segments (20A in FIG. 1) or swivel cable segments (20AA in FIG. 5) is shown in end view in FIG. 6. The cable may include a central conductor core 40 consisting of a nylon monofilament strength member 42 surrounded by copper strands 41. The strands 41 may be helically wound around the strength member 42. The conductor core 40 may be surrounded by an insulation layer 43, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). The insulation layer 43 may be surrounded by a shield conductor layer 44, which may include copper strands and supporting tape. An insulator 45 may surround the shield layer 44. The cable is armor reinforced, in the present embodiment, by three, contrahelically wound layers 46A, 46B, 46C of steel wires (which may be galvanized) to form armor 46. While the foregoing embodiment of a cable includes only a single, centrally located electrical conductor (core 40), other embodiments may include a plurality of such electrical conductors surrounded by steel wire armor. See, for example, part no. A305338, Rochester Corporation, Culpeper, Va. 22701, which includes seven insulated electrical conductors in its core.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims. 

1. An ocean bottom cable system, comprising: a cable extended from a vessel at the surface of a body of water to the bottom of the body of water, the cable including at least one of an electrical conductor and an optical fiber; a plurality of sensor units disposed at spaced apart locations along the cable; and at least one swivel disposed in the cable between the vessel and at least one of the sensor units, the swivel including a slip ring and mating contact to enable relative rotation between ends of the cable coupled thereto, the swivel including means to transmit axial force along the cable therethrough.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor units each include at least one particle motion sensor and a sensor responsive to pressure in the body of water.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the cable is divided into segments each having a selected length, the segments terminated at each end thereof with a connector, each connector including a contact element to provide at least one of electrical contact and optical contact between an end of the cable segment and a device coupled to the end of the cable segment.
 4. The system of claim 4 wherein each sensor unit includes a connection device to couple to one of the connectors at each end thereof.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cable comprises a coaxial cable disposed within a plurality of concentric, contrahelically wound layers of armor wires.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one swivel is disposed between a portion of the cable which rests on the bottom of the body of water and a lead in cable extending from the water bottom to the vessel at the water surface, such that any loops formed in the portion of the cable during extension into the water are relieved when the cable is retracted onto the vessel.
 7. (canceled)
 8. An ocean bottom cable seismic sensor system, comprising: a lead in cable extended from a vessel at the surface of a body of water to the bottom of the body of water, the lead in cable including at least one of an electrical conductor and an optical fiber, the lead in cable including a plurality of helically wound armor wires surrounding the at least one of the electrical conductor and the optical fiber, the lead in cable having a connector at a water bottom end thereof, the connector including a connection element to make at least one of electrical contact and optical contact to a device connected thereto, and to transmit axial stress from the cable to the device; a plurality of sensor units each having at each axial end thereof a receptacle adapted to mate with the connector, each receptacle configured as the connector on the water bottom end of the lead in cable, each sensor unit having seismic sensors therein, each sensor unit having a housing adapted to transmit axial stress therethrough; at least one swivel having a receptacle at each axial end thereof adapted to mate with a connector configured as the connector on the water bottom end of the lead in cable, the swivel including a slip ring and mating contact to enable relative rotation between axial ends thereof, the swivel including means to transmit axial stress therethrough; and a plurality of cable segments each having a connector at each axial end thereof, each connector configured as the connector on the water bottom end of the lead in cable, wherein the system is configured by coupling the connector at the water bottom end of the lead in cable to one axial end of at least one of a sensor unit and a swivel, the system configured by connecting a cable segment to the other axial end of the at least one of the swivel and the sensor unit, a remainder of the system configured by selective connection together end to end of cable segments and sensor units, and at least one swivel if the connector at the water bottom end of the lead in cable is coupled to a sensor unit.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the sensor units each include at least one particle motion sensor and a sensor responsive to pressure in the body of water.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein the cable segments each comprise at least one of an electrical conductor and optical fiber and a plurality of layers of contrahelically wound armor wires surrounding the at least one of the electrical conductor and the optical fiber.
 11. (canceled) 